The DeForest B. Soaries Jr. Senior Residences at Somerset building was officially opened on Jan. 28. Located at 630 Franklin Blvd., the 64-unit building is geared toward senior citizens and veterans.

[wpgmappity id=”10″]   Mylar balloons released near an overhead transformer at Pine Grove and Highland avenues the afternoon of Jan. 29 sparked a power outage that affected more than 1,200 customers in the township and New Brunswick.

The school district has launched an internal investigation as to why a child left on a school bus for five hours Jan. 28 was reported as being in school. Franklin Township police are also investigating the incident, said department spokesman Sgt. Philip Rizzo.

The Board of Education has called a special meeting for 7 p.m. Jan. 31 for an executive session to “discuss the Superintendent’s separation agreement and the appointment of an acting superintendent,” according to the meeting’s notice. The notice says that public action will be taken after the executive session.

A proposed ordinance that would give to the Township Council  all meaningful power over the renovation of the Hamilton Street business district – and relegate business owners to an advisory board – is being opposed by a group of those business owners. The ordinance was introduced at the Jan. 28 council meeting, but not before Councilman Carl R. A. Wright …

It all started to fall apart in the third quarter. The Franklin Township JV boys’ basketball team came out shooting Jan. 28 against the Hillsborough Raiders, scoring 10 points before the visitors could get on the board.

One might not think it possible to see a positive in an 0-12 season, but Franklin Township High School boys’ varsity basketball coach Daryn Plummer can. “We’ve been able to get our younger players some time, some varsity experience,” he said, after the Warrior’s 60-26 loss to Hillsborough High School’s Raiders. “That’s been a plus.”

The Franklin Township Police Department officially has three new police officers and one new sergeant. The four were sworn in to their positions at the Jan. 28 Township Council meeting by Township Clerk Ann McCarthy.

A car driven by Bruce Boyd of Franklin Park rear-ended one driven on Route 27 by Deborah Gouldie, also of Franklin Park. Boyd said Gouldie’s car moved forward at the Bunker Hill traffic light then stopped suddenly, and his car slid on the wet road. §

Although they kept it neck-and-neck in the first half, the Franklin Middle School boys’ basketball team ran out of steam in the second half, falling to JP Case Middle School of Flemington 58-44. Case jumped out to a fast 4-0 lead after the tip-off, but Franklin quickly ties the game. From there, and for most of the first two quarters, …